Fixed Teeth in a Day

Dental implants are well established as being a great option for replacing missing teeth and securing dentures firmly in place. Acting as the root replacement for your tooth a dental implant is able to prevent the side-effects of missing teeth such as sunken cheeks and bone loss which can often make people appear aged.

Here at TEMPLE SQUARE DENTAL we can offer three main solutions to give you a secure set of new teeth that you can eat, smile and talk with confidently, all in one day. Replacing a full set of missing teeth is what we do best and the treatments that we provide are always life-changing.

The first is implant-retained dentures using a technique known as “SynCone”. Between 4 (lower jaw) to 6 (upper jaw) dental implants are placed in the jaw which have tapered posts fitted to them. These tapered posts that are attached to the implants lock tightly into place with a coping (cap) that is fabricated into the base of the denture. This tight connection between the post and the cap help to support and secure the denture for use on the same day.

Unlike traditional implant-retained dentures the SynCone technique allows the dentures to be held in place by the implants on the same day as surgery rather than waiting 3-6 months for the implants to integrate. SynCone dentures also have less of a tendency to cause gum and bone shrinkage than traditional implant-retained dentures.

All-on-4 Dental Implants

The second technique is the All-on-4 implant system which is where a fixed bridge or denture components are fitted onto 4 dental implants in one day and are not removable by the patient. This is sometimes known as “fixed teeth in a day”.

Normally, in order to replace all missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw a patient is required to have 6 – 10 dental implants. With the All-on-4 system two implants at the back of the jaw are placed at an angle of 45 degrees enabling longer implants to be placed in this area for greater stability. The two implants at the front of the jaw are placed at 90 degrees. These 4 implants are then braced together by a fixed bridge which is screwed into the implants and held permanently in place. Unlike an implant-retained denture the All-on-4 denture can only be removed by a dentist and so is as close to having your natural teeth as you will get.

With All-on-4 you can arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon with a permanent set of new teeth.

The All-on-4 system costs approximately twice that of implant-retained dentures but is as close as you will get to having your natural teeth back. During your consultation we will discuss the pros and cons of your treatment options so that you can make an informed decision of the treatment that is best suited for your individual situation.

FAQs about All on 4

Q. can you give me some information on All on 4?
A. All on 4 is the name for a technique where 4 implants are used to hold a full jaw of fixed teeth. It can be used in either upper or lower jaws or both.

Q. Are the teeth removable?
A. No the teeth are screwed in place, they can be removed by the dentist for repair or maintenance.

Q. Do I need to be without teeth for any length of time?
A. No. The technique is often described as teeth in a day. We normally do the surgery in the morning and fit the new teeth in the afternoon with 2 quick appointments in the middle.

Q. Are these the final permanent teeth?
A. No these are provisional teeth fitted to allow the tissue to heal for 4-6 months. The final teeth are made when the tissues have healed. This normally takes 3 visits.

Q. I have full dentures can I still have All on 4?
A. Yes subject to a full assessment and most importantly a CT scan to measure the bone before treatment.

Q. Does it hurt?
A. No the treatment will be provided using normal local anaesthetic. Most patients are surprised by how straightforward the treatment is. For more anxious patients we can use sedation to help you relax during the treatment.

Q. I have several broken and failing teeth can I still have this treatment?
A. Yes, normally it is still possible but subject to a CT scan and assessment.

Q. I’m still not sure if I’m suitable.
A. Why don’t you come in for a consultation to talk to Dr Sandhu about the treatment, she can then let you know if you’re a good candidate or if there is any other treatment that might be better for you.

Implant Retained Dentures

Implants can be used to secure removable dentures firmly in place. This techniques only requires 2 implants in the lower jaw and a minimum of 4 implants in the upper jaw making it a very cost effective way of securing loose and uncomfortable dentures.

The technique can also be adapted to anchor dentures on the same day as the surgery, as typically a healing time of 3-6 months is required before implants are connected to the overlying denture.This is typically carried out in the lower jaw utilizing 4 implants.

Locator/Ball Attachments

2 Implants and Bar Overdenture

4 Implants and Bar Overdenture

Fixed implant-supported bridges

The third way we treat patients who have lost or losing their remaining teeth is by using fixed implant supported porcelain bridges. These custom made bridges can be adapted to nearly every situation, usually 6-8 implants will be needed in each jaw to support this bridge.

As a result not all patients are suitable, however they still represent the gold standard in tooth replacement and offer the patient the most natural life-like feel to their replacement teeth. This is the mostFixed implant-supported porcelain bridges expensive option but really is the gold standard in the replacement of a full arch of teeth if you have adequate bone density and gum health.